Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
14th June, 2023 13:00
c. 1954 Lea-Francis 'Tojeiro'
No Reserve
Registration No: 5170 ND
Chassis No: T. B. A
MOT: Exempt
Believed to be one of the ‘lost’ Tojeiro chassis’
Current family ownership since 1984 and residing in the vendor's father’s large car collection for many years
A very interesting potential entry into the 1950s drum brake race series
Offered with period images of the car competing
What a golden age the late 1950s were for fans of sporting machinery. Besides the mainstream models from MG, Triumph, Austin-Healey, et al, there were plenty of options for those seeking something rather more individual. From the bones of a ropey old Austin Seven or Ford Eight a (sometimes) delightful little roadster could be cobbled together for a few quid. For those with deeper pockets, meanwhile, a whole cottage industry of up-and-coming racing car constructors were happy to fabricate a somewhat more sophisticated product. It was an exciting time peppered with names that would enter into motoring folklore: Lotus and Cooper, Costin and Lola, and plenty more. Back-street cars that could give the big boys a run for their money. It was in such a context that the little fixed-head that you see here first saw light of day.
Although, mainly remembered for the AC Ace, John Tojeiro was a prolific designer whose lightweight chassis frames were famed for their strength and balance. Best known as a chassis engineer, he produced a long line of successful racing cars, most famously in conjunction with the Ecurie Ecosse team, using engines supplied by Jaguar, Buick, Bristol, Scirocco-Powell and Climax, among many. The Ecurie Ecosse Tojeiro EE was one of the first sports racing cars to use a mid-engine layout to enhance handling and traction. With the history of the Ace and Carroll Shelby developing it into the AC Cobra, marrying a thunderous American V8 engine with the lightweight British chassis, John Tojeiro’s legacy in the motor industry is unquestionable.
